DALLAS BAPTIST (2-3) at WEST TEXAS A&M (3-1)
September 18 | 7pm | Canyon, TX | The Pitch

MULTIMEDIA COVERAGE:
Video - West Texas A&M Broadcast
Livestats - WT Livestats
Facebook - DBU Athletics 

THE LEAD
The Dallas Baptist Men's Soccer Team is back on the pitch at West Texas A&M University on Thursday for 7 PM match. It's the squad's fourth of a five-game road stretch.
 
DBU (2-3) has dropped consecutive contests, and hopes to find the win column after a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory at Southern Nazarene University last week. Both of the Patriots' triumphs have happened on a Thursday.
 
MOST RECENT ACTION
Competing with No. 15 Metro State University, the Patriots maintained composure against a tough opponent. Sophomore Riley Alvey tied things at the 13:07 mark, a little over thirty seconds after Dustin Berg scored for the Roadrunners to break a deadlocked affair.
 
A quartet of MSU players found the back of the net in this one, with Jack Mayfield's netter in the 39^th minute placing his team up for good the rest of the match.
 
Leading 2-1 out of the break, Josh Belfrage's header at the 63:44 minute mark pushed the edge to 3-1. Danny Arrubla would round out the scoring at the 88:07 mark.
 
Alvey was a perfect two-for-two in the contest, scoring once and placing the other shot on the target. Senior David Balyeat teamed up with the Hideaway, Texas, native, and collected his first assist on the campaign. The midfielder has only suited up twice in the young season, but does have an assist in each.
 
Sophomore Mason Stringer recorded a season-high seven saves in the setback.
 
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Leading the way for the Patriots is redshirt sophomore Landon Lacy and Alvey. The duo share team-highs with two goals and five points. Alvey has notched both of his goals on this lengthy road trip.
 
The first was the game-tying netter in an eventual overtime victory at Southern Nazarene. The forward only needs one more score to match his career total in 2013. Also in his collegiate debut, Alvey compiled eight points, and is four away from surpassing that mark.
 
Lacy rounds out a trio of players that have taken double-digit shots on the season. The Hallsville, Texas, native has 10 this season and is 21 away from 50 in his career. He contributed a goal in the team's road victory at SNU, but big highlight occurred in the season-opener.
 
With the match knotted 1-1, Lacy's shot off a deflection counted as the game-winner at the 85 minute mark. The forward ranks third on the active roster with six career goals.
 
WORTH MENTIONING
Last year's leading scorer, junior Brian Robertson, has contributed on the field in other methods.
The midfielder boasts a single game-high, two assists, including partaking in the game-winner by sophomore Brandon O'Donovan in the extra frame last week. The native of Midlothian, Texas, has taken 13 shots, tying him with Alvey.
 
O'Donovan has gained extensive playing time on the road trip, averaging 80.3 minutes a contest. Junior Alex Becerra has also demonstrated great endurance, playing the all 459 minutes DBU has performed on the pitch this year.
 
Stringer has earned four starts in the goalkeeper position for the Patriots. He is a win away (2-2) from tying his career number set in 2013. The keeper has combined for 19 saves and faced 64 shots.
 
In road affairs, the native of Burleson, Texas has faced at least 20 attempts from the opposition. Stringer has worked a career 967:38 minutes and has played in 11 total.
 
SCOUTING WEST TEXAS A&M
The Buffs (3-1) have totaled five goals in its past pair of matches, including a 5-0 win in its latest match-up at Adams State on Sunday. West Texas A&M managed to earn a ranking in the NSCAA South Central Poll, released every Tuesday. The program was listed number seven in the most recent release, moving up one spot in the last week.
 
WTAMU hasn't had such a thunderous offense on the home turf yet, scoring only once in each game. However, the Buffs were facing two schools that have been recognized in the national rankings at some point throughout the campaign: Colorado School of Mines and Texas A&M International University.
 
The lone setback thus far for the Buffs was versus the Heartland Conference foe, TAMIU.   
 
Pacing the squad offensively are a trio of players with multiple goals. Chris Johnson guides the way with three, and Christopher Hutton and Axel Insulander follow with two apiece. Eight different contributors have netted at least a goal this season through four matches.
 
Splitting time between the posts are Patrick Satorie and Carlos Ruiz. Satorie has notched three starts and compiled 225 minutes. He has allowed two goals and nabbed seven saves.
 
Ruiz has been in the game twice, handling one of those for a start. Through 134:46 minutes, the keeper has allowed three goals and recorded eight saves.
 
SERIES HISTORY
This is the third-straight year since Dallas Baptist became a member of Division II, that the programs scheduled to meet on the pitch. Last season, the match was cancelled due to weather, leaving the Patriots still 0-1 versus the team from Canyon, Texas.
 
In the team's inaugural year, the Patriots' second game that season would result in a 2-1 defeat at West Texas A&M. Lacy did score, putting a loose ball inside the box away, giving DBU a 1-0 advantage.
It wasn't enough, as the Buffs responded 15 minutes later and would take the lead in the 57^th minute during the second half.
 
Current junior Chuck Schober, drew the start and completed 90 minutes of action, collecting six saves in the loss.
 
UP NEXT
Dallas Baptist wraps up one of two five-game road trips this year with a 12 PM start time at Ouachita Baptist University on Saturday, September 20.